Australian Shepherd Molly Montana writes of her outdoor adventures with human, Kinsey Barnard. Kinsey takes the photos. They live in Montana and travel in their RV Clementine. Exploring is their favorite thing to do. Follow them and enjoy great stories, travel photos as well as travel & hiking tips particularly in Montana

30 August 2013

LEARNING ABOUT THE CHAINSAW

Kinsey has been working in the woods like a mad woman. It's that time of year when she makes a push to get the firewood sheds filled for the coming winter. Poor dear, she is finding that it takes longer every year.

Anyway, she has been doing a lot of work with the chainsaw. I am a naturally curious creature so I have had to learn to keep my distance when the saw fires up.

I've been having trouble getting used to Mr. Toad. That's Kinsey's name for the Polaris Ranger 6x6 she uses to haul wood and tools around the ranch. I think my problem began when I fell out of the thing when I was still a puppy. Whatever the reason, I generally want no part of that Polaris.

Because Kinsey worries she might run over me she has been leaving me in the run when she goes out. I don't like that at all. She's been trying to explain that either I ride in the Ranger or get left behind, my choice. Yesterday, I finally made the connection. I'm still not crazy about the thing but I will get in it a lie on the floor. Apparently, my desire to go with her is greater than my dislike for the contraption.

Why Kinsey does this dangerous work I cannot tell you but she seems to enjoy it. Hardly the sort of thing most girls would care to do. I've got a real stranger here. At least I'll be warm and toasty when winter comes.

It didn't take me long to get the message about the saw. At first she had to tell me to "get over there" when she started up the saw. Now, I just know to keep my distance when she fires it up. The next thing she has to figure out is how to keep me safe when she's felling a tree. One of those trees could fall on my pointy little head and I wouldn't even see it coming. Hope she figures out something good.

It's going to be taking her even longer to get her work done now that I'm here to "help" as I steal her gloves every times she puts them down or her hat or anything thing I can grab. It's a rotten job but somebody has to do it.